Friday, February 25, 2005

Most who come to my humble second and better abode on the net have an unknown referral which I'm assuming means you all get here by yourselves and you like to read what my mind has to say.

Some come through the NEXT BLOG button at the top right corner of the screen, which if you click, Blogger will take you to a random BLOG. I've seen some pretty cool BLOGS that way, and become a "regular" on other random peoples BLOGs.

Still others come through websearches on random subjects, the two most popular being poop and tonsoliths, not necessarily in that order. And these are due to my random anecdotes about patients and their incontinence at the hospital, and of course my bout (which continues on and off) with tonsil stones that don't want to come out and make my tonsils hurt. This happened last night actually, I coughed up the largest one I had ever seen, so big in fact that my otherwise now feeling normal tonsils, well my right one anyway, HURT for a few hours until it came out. And once it did, I felt betterer. :) And so I digress... ANYWAY.....

I do hope that any info I provided on my bout with tonsoliths and dumb ENT's tellling me I needed them out, and smart ones telling me not to worry, unless I can't breathe or swallow for long periods of time because adult tonsillectomies are SUPER DUPER PAINFUL, helped you and was the info you were looking for.

And for those of you lookng for info and jokes on poop, WHY???

So thats that. Entertainment from referrals to my BLOG. Yes, I'm strange and in need of other forms of entertainment. But it's fun anyway.

So how did YOU come to visit me???? I'm curious to hear who's reading ym BLOG and why! Lemme know! :) TTYS!! Time for work!

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Today I saw a patient who is 76 years old and was admitted for c/o severe back pain after a yoga class. Bad for the back pain but HOW CUTE IS THAT!?! 76 years old and taking YOGA!!!

And she was completely adorable. First of all she doesn't even look close to 76. She plays golf with a group of gals, who "Don't know how old [she is]", she runs obstacle courses for competition with her dog, and she exercises and works out all the time. And when I tied her gown up in the back for our walk I told her as I do many patients, "No free shows today!" Her reply was "You're no fun!!!"

HOW CUTE IS SHE!?!?!?! It was definitely a pleasurably cute patient to have today. She gets my vote for the Patient of the Day. :)

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Do they teach you transfers in nursing school? How to get a patient safely in and out of bed? How to get from the bed to the chair and back? Even if the patient is a bit weak?

I thought it was taught. But from some of the nurses at the hospital, you wouldn't know it. They seem to think that patients can't get out of bed until PT sees them. Or if PT gets them up, then PT has to get them back. Reality Check.... we don't have the time to get patients in and out of bed for the nurses. It's bad enough that we're something like 40 evals behind. And I only notice this on some floors. Why do some nurses know how to get patients back to bed and others don't?

Anyway, I know I'm just complaining, but it's been a really busy and cranky day, and it makes me more cranky when I get calls to come ad get a patient back to bed because the nurse says she doesn't know how to.

I was just curious about learning safe transfers. I thought it was taught, but I suppose I could be wrong.

But complaining about working the weekend, getting up ealry instead of sleeping in a bit and going to shul I have done, and that wasn't the point of my BLOG early this morning.

Watercolors. My watercolor class is cancelled!!! George is ill and can't teach the class and if they can't find a substitute it's cancelled! EEEK! It would be stinky if the class was cancelled because I really enjoy it, but GEORGE!!! And I only know him through the class, so I can't go inquiring around, but still it's NOT COOL! I hope that he's ok. He's a great guy and a great teacher and I hope he's ok. I love my watercolors, class, it teaches me not to be a perfectionist, to let the watercolors take charge as they may, to bring balance to the perfectionistic and artistic/creative sides of me. To know not to have oto copy a painting exactly from the photo. To do sketches and value studies before starting a piece. (Those are hard for me) To know when a piece is done, and not to touch it lest you ruin it! George likes moderation. "Everything in Moderation Including Moderation!" he always says, and if you recieve emails from me you'll know that. And while I can watercolor on my own, it would still be nice to go to class and get instruction, and well, even if they find a sub, I hope George is ok.

And on that note, I must dash. 6:17 AM and I have to finish getting ready to leave in about 13 minutes. Have a good Saturday all! Be well George, I'm thinking about ya!

Thursday, February 17, 2005

I had to go to work. Yes, I went to work. Not for pay, but to return a pager. I accidently took the 424 home with me last night. The 424 is the "in charge" pager, for PT/OT/Speech, though mostly PT, the one which the nurses, doctors, and case managers call when they need a patient seen, for discharge planning, for safety, because they want them seen.... RIGHT NOW!!!

And I forgot to take it off yesterday after work and I took it home. And since it's needed, and since it gets paged a million times a day, it couldn't be left for a day, so I had to return it. Oh well. A trip to work on my day off...

Although it wasn't that bad. It took longer to get there and back than it did to drop off the pager, even with the elevators stopping at every floor on the way upstairs. But it had to be done so I did it. It got me up and out early though.

So with my up and early out, I was productive. I got a haircut, well hair trim anyway, I did some errands, I went to the library, went to the gym, took a nap, read, relaxed, cooked tabouleh, and greenbean/bean salad and potato soup, and hard boiled eggs. :) So I had a productive and yet relaxing day off. :)

Days off are nice. Even if they mean you have to work the weekend. But days off are still nice. :)

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Today, Rob attacked me with SQUISHES before I left for work. YAY for Rob attacking me with SQUISHES!! I like that. Even if it makes it a bit hard to breathe.

Today, an old friend from college called me while I was driving to work to tell me that he was in the car in front of me. He looked back in his rear view mirror and saw me in the car behind him. HOW WEIRD!! I haven't spoken with him in AGES! Really strange and kinda cool.

Today, I stopped in the midst of climbing the stairs to go to see my next patient on the 10th floor and once again realized, HEY!!! This is WORK!!! They PAY me to do this! COOL!!!! I love that. Once again, in a random way I realize I'm so lucky to have a job I enjoy.

Today, I saw alllllll the burn patients on the unit except for one who isn't on program. (hand burn) Today, the Burn Unit is capital FULL. Which means today, the Burn Unit is CRAZY! Today, an older patient on the Burn Unit asked me if I had a hot date tonight, and if not, he would step in. :) How cute is he!?!?!

Today, there was WAY too much chocolate at the hospital. Today, I told myself I really need to control myself around chocolate, because today I realize how addicted to chocolate I am. BTW, if I eat equal amounts of dark and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet??

Today, One of the OT's found out she passed her boards, and now we have another OT! YAY! Can we get another PT too?? And she got flowers at work from her boyfriend because of it. How sickeningly sweet!

Today, the sunset was beautiful. And it shone in my eyes the WHOLE way home. But I wouldn't have had it any other way. I got to look upon a gorgeous pink and red and orange sky all the way home.

Today, I had a strange supper. Moroccan Carrot Salad on a sandwich with mayo. REALLY strange and yet YUMMY at the same time.

Today, I registered for the ABA Burn Conference in Chicago in May. YAY! A whole week of the Burn Conference. I didn't get into all of the symposia I wanted to because I'm registering a little late but it's ok. It'll be a great learning experience anyway, a ton of rehab stuff, AND it's all expenses paid. I just have to put it all on my card and they'll pay it back. TEE HEE!! So I registered for the conference and booked a flight. Didn't do the hotel yet, but I have to check and see who I'm rooming with and if she booked a room yet. I don't want to double book anything. But the cool thing is that I gave myself enough time the day before and the day after the conference to sightsee around Chicago. The conference starts early Tuesday morning so I'm leaving Monday morning and I have most of Monday to hang around. And then it ends late Friday night and I'm not leaving until Sunday so I have time Saturday to explore some more. :) TEE HEE!!! Anyone have any good sights to see in Chicago in May??

Today, it's been perty good so far. Yay for Today! Hopefully Tomorrow will be just as good.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Well, it's Valentine's Day, and I don't get all happy-go-lucky and obsessive about it. (I don't even LIKE the day for various reasons) BUT, it means that it's time for conversation hearts to flood the candy dishes. Ya know, those icky-tasting, hard-sugar hearts with things written on them. I noticed them at the hospital today. They've changed since I was a kid, probably the last time I had some.

I remember them saying things like Be Mine, Love You, I'm yours, My Girl, or You're Sweet. These said You're Hot, Bad Boy, My Baby, and Email Me! Just slightly different sayings. And yet not so slight.I think that it's just another reminder that either I'm getting old, or kids today are maturing too fast and know WAY more than they should.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

I really liked the cadevar book, it was interesting, and actually pretty funny. And it makes ya think. Although I think I'm taking it off of my wish list. One read is enough, I don't need to own it, I don't see myself reading it over and over again. If I really want to read it again, I can go back to the library. I'm enjoying Wicked. It's kinda cool to imagine the lives before the Wizard of Oz.

And I'm late to return my books.. and I still have 2 more. I think I was over ambitious this checkout, I took out 4 long books. Oh well, some late fees and renewels this week should fix it.

But YAY for the library! I've been using the library forever and ever. I'm a bookworm, love to get lost in a story. Although with all the books that Rob has in the apartment (about 1200-1300) why I go out to the library is beyond me.

Any recommendations for a good book to add to my list to read? Tee hee!

Monday, February 07, 2005

Last night Rob and I ventured into Da Bronx to Adam And Laurie's apartment and watched the Superbowl. (well, sort of watched anyway) With friends. It was a fun night. :) I got to see friends I don't often get to see because I live in Bumblef..., I got to watch commercials that cost $80,000 per second, I sort of watched football, I ate and ate food, YUMMY food, I got to play with a baby, I got a rose bush, and I read bottle caps. Read bottle caps???

Well some of the beer bottles had sayings inside of them . Kinda cute and kinda thought provoking. Here are some.

Humor is a Tumor when it becomes Rumor.

Don't Plunder the Wonder

Life is Better in a Warm Sweater.

Don't Yap when you Nap.

I thought they were interesting so I thought I'd share. I had a good night last night. And it was nice to be off today. :) Thanks Adam and Laurie!!!!

Thursday, February 03, 2005

For some odd reason, a few years ago I memorized a strange song. An Animaniacs song. Who???? The Warner Brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and their sister Dot. (She's CUTE!) A crazy WB cartoon that I LOVED in High School and still find rather amusing. Not totally meant for kids, but what cartoons really are? Anyway, I love their antics and the crazy things that they come out with, especially the songs. One of my favorites, was Yakko's World. And so I memorized it. It's not ENTIRELY accurate, but hey, I didn't write it, only memorized it. it's one of the strange things I can do. Quite a party trick!

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

I love this game. It is colorful and challenging and mindful yet mindless, and addicting and FUN! I started playing in college, and somehow I managed to keep it on my computer and still pass and graduate. I know many people who have had to forcibly take it off of their computers because of it's addictiveness and they were failing their classes. Sounds like I knew some dumb people. But I do not blame the people. I blame the game. It's THAT GOOD! Anyone who has ever played and become addicted will immediately understand.

Now I'm not a huge computer game type person. I never was big into Nintendo or Playstation or any of that stuff. I did have and still do have an original Nintendo system, and I never beat any of the games. I just played for fun. (Once in college my roommate had a Super Nintendo and I played Marioland and saved the whole game l and was like 5 boards from completing and winning the game. I had been playing ALL YEAR! And then it got deleted accidentally and I was pisses and I just gave up. I didn't have the heart to start all over.)

Anyway, once in awhile a game comes up, usually a puzzly type game, that addicts me. Like Tetris, or Collapse, or Endorfun, or SNOOD!!!

Snood has stayed on my computer and has had its phases of addiction. My senior year in college, my second year in PT school, post ankle surgery, studying for the boards, this week....

I think its complex simplicity is what makes it so addicting. I think its color and childishness is what makes it so appealing. There are these funny little faces called "Snoods" which make faces at you, a blue circle face that looks a bit like Grover, a light blue hairy square, a green square with rounded corners, a purple triangle with horns, a gray old face thing, a red frankenstein square circle, and a yellow six sided thing with sun glasses, all making faces and sticking out their tounges and smiling and laughing at you. They cover the screen in various patterns. You shoot the face in your space-age looking shooter at the block of faces above and try to get 3 in a row touching to make them disappear. You bounce them across walls and they always stick where you don't want them to, kinda like saran wrap. Every time you shoot a face there's a counter thing at the side that goes up. When the counter gets to the top, the ceiling of the screen lowers a notch. Your job is to get rid of all the "Snoods" on the screen without letting them drop down and touch the floor. There are colorfully patterened backgrounds that always change, different levels, puzzle games, and you can even create your own levels, if you register that is.

And that's SNOOD. I like it. And now that I have a BLOG I can BLOG about SNOOD!!! and spread the addiction. Luckily all I lose now is sleep when I play and not study time. :) But it's fun and keeps me quiet and occupied and out of trouble. And we ALL know how much trouble I need to be kept out of!! ;)